Feed-trough for animals.



I No. 718,287. PATENTED JAN. 13, 1903.;

' J. H. SNOW.

FEED THOUGH FOR ANIMALS.

APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 19, 1902.

I0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB H. SNOW, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

FEED-TROUGH FOR ANIMALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 718,287, dated January 13, 1903.

Application filed November 19, 1902. Serial No. 131,976. (No model.

To all whom it may concern/.-

Beit known that LJAOOB H.SNOW,a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Feed-Troughs for Animals, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in feed-troughs for animals, &c., and it particularly relates to those troughs wherein the material is automatically fed into the trough proper from a feed-reservoir forming a part of the device.

My invention consists in the provision of a feed-reservoir connection and communication with a feed-trough proper, the latter located on a plane slightly below that occupied by the reservoir.

It also consists in the provision of a positively movable division plate located between and dividing the feed-reservoir from the trough proper,the division-plate provided with an opening therein to permit the exit of the feed from the reservoir into the trough, the plate carrying means for closing the open- Ing.

My invention further consists in certain other features of construction and combinations of parts, such as will be more fully disclosed hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of myim proved stockfeeder, parts being broken away to show the swinging division-plate and its cooperating parts; and Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line A A of Fig. 1 and looking toward the right.

The numeral 1 represents the body of my stock-feeder, the rear or bottom plate 2 of which is longitudinally curved in arcs of circles struck from two different centers, whereby a shoulder 3 is formed in the plate. The upper are 4 of the plate 2 affords a sloping or inclined bottom to the feed-reservoir 5. Se-

cured to the curved plate 2 are the laterallycurved diverging sides 6 6, their lower edges conforming in shape to the curved plate 2,and their upper edges are arranged in different horizontal planes 7 and 8, connected. by means of a shoulder 9.

oppositely-located pins or studs 10 10 project inwardly through the sides 6 6 at or near the juncture of the shoulder 9 with the upper horizontal plane 7 of the sides. A cover 11,

having perforated ears 12 12,extendsover and closes the rear portion of the stock-feeder, the ears 12 12 being received on the pins or studs 10 10. -A division-plate 13, provided with perforated cars 14 14, bent at right angles thereto, is received within the stock-feeder,

the plate being hinge-supported in an approximately vertical position by means of the pins 10 10 passing through the perforated ears 14 14. This plate is located just inthe rear of the shoulders 3 and 9 of the stockfeeder, and its lower end is adapted tovibrate between the stops 15 15, formed integral with or located upon the bottom plate 2 of the feeder. This swinging division-plate is provided with a recess or aperture 16, preferably located at and extending upward from the lower edge of the plate and centrally of its sides. Guides 17 17 project outwardly from the rear face of the swinging plate on either side of the aperture, and between these guides is received a sliding gate 18, adapted either to completely or partially close the opening 16. The gate is provided with a vertical slotted extension 19, and a set-screw 20 passes through the slot 21 and into the swinging plate 1 whereby to adjust the size of the opening to different grades or kinds of feed. Graduations 22 are located on the swinging plate 13'and in juxtaposition to'the sliding gate, and opposite thereto is a list of various feeds, grains,.&c., as shown in the drawings, whereby the operator can determine the height at which to adjust the sliding gate 18, the list being arranged in proper order to enable one to compare the graduations and the location of the particular feed used on the list. Thus if hewere using barley for feeding the stock the gate would be raised until the upper end of the extension 19 was opposite the third graduation from the bottom, and so on.

The forward portion 23 is upon a lower plane than the rear portion or reservoir 5 and is open or uncovered at the top to permit ac cess thereto.

The use and operation of this stock-feeder may be clearly understood from the foregoing description in connection with the drawings,

but a brief outline will be given. The reservoir 5 is filled with the feed through the top and the sliding gate 18 having first been adjusted with reference to the kind of feed with which the reservoir is to be filled and after it has been filled the open top is closed by the cover 11. A small portion of the feed has found its exit through the aperture 16 in the gate and has fallen into the feed trough proper, 23. The feeding animal stands exactly opposite or in front of the swinging division-plate, and as the feed in the trough is disposed of the trough is automatically replenished by means of the reservoir 5. In case the feed should clog or fail to run out of the aperture 16 in the proper manner the animal will by instinct swing the divisionplate against the rear stop 15 on the inclined bottom plate to cause the feed to discharge through the aperture into the feed-trough.

It is evident that many changes might be made in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction herein set forth; but,

'Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A stock-feeder comprising a body portion, aswinging non-adj ustable division-plate secured to the body portion and separating the body portion into a reservoir and a feed trough, the division-plate extending entirely across the body portion and from top to bottom thereof, the plate provided with a centrally-located opening on its lower side, a sliding gate adapted to completely close the opening, the gate provided with an upwardly-extending slotted portion, a screw adapted to be inclosed by the slotted portion and removably retain the gate in any position, guides for the gate, means for limiting the movement of the swinging division-plate and a cover for the reservoir.

2. A stock-feeder comprising a body portion,a swinging non-adj ustable division-plate secured to the body portion and separating the body portion into a reservoir and a feedtrough, the division-plate extending entirely across the body portion and from top to bottom thereof, the plate provided with a centrally-located opening on its lower side, a sliding gate adapted to completely close the opening, the gate provided with an upwardly-extending slot-ted portion, a screw adapted to be inclosed by the slotted portion and removably retain the gate in any position, guides for the gate, scale-marks located on the division-plate with which the upwardly-project ing slotted extension. is adapted to be alined, a list of feeds arranged in predetermined order, and corresponding with the scale-marks to enable the operator to correctly adjust the gate in accordance with the kind of feed, means for limiting the movement of the swinging division-plate and a cover for the reservoir.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JACOB H. SNOW.

Witnesses:

L. E. SNOW, S. S. SCHNARRENBERGER. 

